Undersheet for beds and the like



Dec. 3, 1968 A. R. AMET 3,413,665

UNDERSHEET FOR BEDS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 9, 1967 United States Patent 3 Claims. for. s 334 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Undersheet for covering a mattress characterised by a suitable slot on at least one of its corners, each of the folds thus formed having, one on its outer face, the other on its inner face, bands adhesive to one another. The corners of the undersheet not provided with slots are sewn to form angled sections.

The manufacture of bed sheets, in particular that of undersheets used to cover the mattress, poses problems which up to now have not been resolved satisfactorily.

It has been noted in effect that standard sheets, formed of a simple rectangle of material, were not satisfactory to the users because these are obliged in order to lock the sheet on the mattress to fold the sides from below along a sufficient length in order that the sheet remains smoothly held in position.

Owing to this fact, while the undersheet is simply intended to cover the upper surface of the mattress and its sides, it is necessary that its surface area be approximately double that of the part of the mattress that it covers.

There have been consequently perfected various sheets performing the role of covers which can be locked on the mattress. These sheets generally have pockets to receive the four corners of the mattress. Elastics, cords or a button system permit the formation of a pocket and provide the necessary tension permitting that the sheet remains locked to the mattress. The manufacture of these sheets is complicated because it is necessary to make 'hems, to provide them with cords or elastics, to sew buttonholes, to secure buttons.

Certain devices are not easy to place or to replace after was-hing. Finally when the covering covers a part of the lower surface of the mattress, the area of fabric used remains considerable.

Consequently, the invention proposes to provide a sheet for covering the upper surface and the sides of a mattress, locked thereon by simple means, removable just as simply, having minimum dimensions and accordingly a low cost price permitting to reduce laundry costs in proportion to the reduction of the surface area.

To this effect, the invention is concerned with a sheet intended to cover a mattress, characterised by the presence at each of its corners of a suitable slot dividing the corner in two flaps, the shape and the size of the cut out area being such that when the two flaps are united, the corner of the sheet forms an angled portion which receives the corner of the mattress, and by means permitting to unite the two flaps of a cut out area to form the angled portion.

The two flaps can be united by sewing; in this case the angled section is fixed. It is also possible to unite them by a fastening means which permits to form the angled section when the sheet is placed on the mattress and to open it to remove it from the mattress and to wash the sheet. By superimposing the two flaps on a more or less large surface, it is also possible to vary the dimensions of the piece of the angled section and consequently the length of the sides of the sheet. There is thus obtained an Patented Dec. 3, 1968 adjustment of the pull of the sides necessary in order that the sheet be satisfactorily retained on the mattress.

The fastening means consists of adhesive strips of the type sold under the trade mark name Velcro, and disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,717,437 issued to G. De Mestral.

The sheet can have corners of a single type or of various types.

The dimensions of the cutouts are variable and are dimensioned in accordance with the thickness of the mattress.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the following description made by way of non-limiting example and to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a sheet two of whose angled sections are sewn and two of whose angled sections are detachable and can be formed by the superimposition of adhesive bands.

FIGURE 2 shows the fastening of a corner on a mattress.

Reference is first made to FIGURE 1.

The undersheet 1 as seen from its upper surface has on its corners 2 and 3 cutouts 4 and 5. These cutouts 4 and 5 form flaps 6, 7 and 8, 9. On the upper surface of flaps 7 and 8 are secured two bands, 10 and 11, which adhere when in contact, for example, Velcro band's. On the lower surfaces of flaps 8 and 9 are similarly secured bands 12 and 13 which complement bands 10 and '11. The comers 14 and 15 of sheet 1 are sewn in order to form two angled sections 16 and 17.

In order to secure sheet 1 on mattress 18, of which a corner corresponding to corner 3 on FIGURE 2 is seen, there are first introduced in the angled sections 16 and 17 the corresponding corners (not shown) of mattress 18. Then fold 8 is placed against the lower part of side 20 of the mattress. Flap 8 is then folded over flap 9 in order to apply complementary band 13 against band 11. Simple contact between these bands fastens them together.

It suflices to repeat the same operation for corner 2 of sheet 1 by suitably pulling on flaps 6 and 7 in order that said sheet 1 lie smoothly locked on mattress 18.

Naturally it is possible to provide the edges of the sheet with reinforcements in order that they resist better to pulling.

It is evident that the adhesive bands secured on the flaps of the sheet can have all desired shapes and dimen- SlOIlS.

Two such bands secured one on the other are practically impossible to tear by pulling in their plane. To unstick them it is necessary to separate them perpendicular to this plane.

The sheet of the invention combines the practical advantages desired by users with its ease of manufacture and its dimensions which are hardly greater than those of the mattress it is intended to cover.

The invention can naturally be utilized for the securing of all types of covers or of fabrics on all types of objects.

Although the invention has been described with respect to one particular embodiment thereof, it is understood that the same is in no way limited thereto and that there can be brought various modifications of shape and materials without thereby departing from the framework and scope of the invention.

Thus it is evident that the sheet according to the invention can be fabricated from natural, artificial or synthetic fibers which may be mixed together and which may or may not have undergone the bleaching, dyeing, or finishing treatment or any other chemical or physical treatment commonly applied to fibers making up such a sheet.

What is claimed is:

1. An undersheet construction comprising a central rectangular section having a pocket at one end for receiving an end of a mattress and the like and another end detachably secured to the other end of said mattress and the like, said other end having two corners, each of said corners having a deep, V-shaped notch defining a depending end flap and a pair of cooperating depending side flaps each 'having an end overlapping the extremities of said end flap along a contacting surface, and elongated, mutually adhesive strips on said extremities of said end flap and on said ends of said side flaps for releasably joining said flaps to form a pocket for receiving the other end of said mattress and the like.

2. Undersheet according to claim 1, wherein said elongated adhesive strips are provided on the outside of said extremities of said end flap and on the outside of said ends of said side flaps.

3. Undersheet according to claim 1, wherein said strips are of the same length.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,674 9/1903 Grattan 5-334 2,695,414 11/1954 Ford et al 5-334 3,056,245 10/1962 Baum et al 5-334 3,243,827 4/1966 Kintner 5334 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

ANDREW CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

